The latest episode of “The Uncensored CMO” had me thinking for a few days. It was another conversation between Jon Evans and Mark Ritson. Early in the episode, Mark says that “American marketing is off the boil.”Thanks for reading Dave Wakeman's Business of Value! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Agree your doom loop metaphor, see Tech with Monopoly and Consolidation the major factors. At WPP I watched Tech siphoning money out of marketing: over time killing brand valuation, often destroying brands outright; driving short-termism and devaluing creativity. Have you read Cory Doctorow on this? But all the factor you set out are there too.
Is that the Anthony DeCurtis? My own reading of Cory has led me to try to figure out solutions, or at least how to spark a movement against the negative forces against us. The point that marketers and advertisers do not seem to accept is their accountability: how they control little but have huge influence beyond the narrow world of commerce.
I think folks can't see the root cause of a lot of these issues. They are very easily sucked along by the forces around them and never stop to go, "maybe this ain't the best idea."
Dave Wakeman, I've worked extensively in the UK, Europe, Asia and the U.S. All your points are valid, but you miss the major factor in declining Marketing effectiveness and creativity: BIG TECH in the form of Digital Platforms, most established in the U.S. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-marketing-can-do-better-america-everywhere-stewart-pearson-oc7oc%3FtrackingId=PnbtpGOUjTni8Ceic5UY%252FQ%253D%253D/?trackingId=PnbtpGOUjTni8Ceic5UY%2FQ%3D%3D
I don't know if I'd consider them the major reason for the decline, but they have played a big role because of some of the other things I listed...
As I consider your thought, I see that maybe they are like a doom loop that work together?!
Agree your doom loop metaphor, see Tech with Monopoly and Consolidation the major factors. At WPP I watched Tech siphoning money out of marketing: over time killing brand valuation, often destroying brands outright; driving short-termism and devaluing creativity. Have you read Cory Doctorow on this? But all the factor you set out are there too.
I read Cory a lot. I've got 'Chokepoint Capitalism' on my shelf to read once I finish the Lou Reed biography I started a few days ago.
Is that the Anthony DeCurtis? My own reading of Cory has led me to try to figure out solutions, or at least how to spark a movement against the negative forces against us. The point that marketers and advertisers do not seem to accept is their accountability: how they control little but have huge influence beyond the narrow world of commerce.
It is the one by Will Hermes.
I think folks can't see the root cause of a lot of these issues. They are very easily sucked along by the forces around them and never stop to go, "maybe this ain't the best idea."
Or, even more, this works for me...so it's fine.
One of my favorite emails you've sent. Great job of identifying the issues.